For purposes of providing light, recourse is often made to liquid fuel lamps. Such lamps typically employ at least one wick that makes contact with the liquid fuel. When the liquid fuel lamp is lit, the liquid fuel is drawn through the wick by a capillary effect to the lit end of the wick, where the fuel is burned providing light in the form of a flame.
Such liquid fuel lamps are useful in a variety of settings. For example, since such lamps do not require electricity, they may be used during power electric outages or in places where electricity is not available. In addition, many people enjoy the use of liquid fuel lamps for decorative purposes, as they enjoy receiving light from flame and looking at the flame. In this connection, liquid fuel lamps that have a plurality of wicks are particularly desirable, as they provide a plurality of flames. They may also provide more light than a liquid fuel lamp having only one wick.
Liquid fuel lamps having a plurality of wicks are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,235 teaches a liquid fuel lamp that holds a supply of fuel in a first fuel reservoir and a wick system having a plurality of wicks connected thereto. As the wicks burn the fuel a vacuum is created which causes liquid fuel to be drawn through a tube from a second reservoir to the first reservoir to provide a constant supply of fuel. Thus, all wicks receive a supply of fuel from a reservoir which is regularly replenished from another reservoir without requiring a user to fill a separate reservoir for each wick. However, for the liquid fuel lamp taught in this reference, the wicks all must share the first reservoir which may reduce flexibility in terms of distance of the wicks from each other. Also, should the first reservoir be damaged, no fuel will be available to the wicks.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,090 discloses a liquid fuel lamp having multiple wicks that is adapted to be inserted into a supporting base. The reservoir for fuel is a flexible bladder to which all of the wicks are connected, thus allowing the lamp to be inserted into a variety of structures. However, once again, since all wicks share the same reservoir, their placement may be very limited in terms of their distance from one another. In addition, the liquid fuel lamp taught by this reference requires an additional structure for holding the lamp, specifically the flexible bladder. In addition, the flexible bladder may be susceptible to breakage, increasing risk of failure of the liquid fuel lamp and fire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,663 teaches a liquid fuel lamp or consuming apparatus having a plurality of wicks that may be used as a votive light arrangement. The liquid fuel lamp comprises a reservoir housing a horizontally oriented tubular shape with a plurality of holes in the top aligned with a series of fuel wells provided on an insert located in the reservoir. The wicks extend from the holes in the top and descend into the fuel wells where they draw fuel for burning. Fuel is inserted on one end of the structure. Thus, the liquid fuel lamp for this invention providers a well, or reservoir, for each wick. However, given the horizontal tubular structure of the lamp, it appears that candles must be relatively close together. Further, replenishment of fuel for the lamp requires pumping of fuel, which requires additional equipment and energy.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved liquid fuel lamp.